


dusk/dawn

by Eleanor_Lambb



Category: Marble Hornets
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, On the Run, Strangers to Lovers, i guess, lol, tags and rating will change :)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:28:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29055168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleanor_Lambb/pseuds/Eleanor_Lambb
Summary: "He doesn't know she's here."But that wouldn't be for long. Alex was trawling the area now. Brian had Jay pegged well enough, but Jessica was a wild card. There was no telling where she could go. She could go to the police, or, throw her life away by following Jay around.
Relationships: Jessica Locke & Brian Thomas | Hoody, Jessica Locke/Brian Thomas | Hoody
Kudos: 6





	dusk/dawn

**Author's Note:**

> sorry im diseased and i couldnt stop thinking about how brian/jessica COULD be epic and real sorry
> 
> want this to be a three parter - here's chapter 1 hahahaaaaa
> 
> also i play fast and loose with all canon all the time idc about what happens in MH i care about what happens in my epic fanfiction also idc if anything is ooc lol
> 
> thanks for reading:)!!!!!!!

The Masked Man stares at her, head titled. He turns to the Hooded Man, eyes two black holes.

Brian sighs, loud, "We should leave her," He says, despite knowing the other wouldn't respond verbally, "It would be smarter. Safer."

But he only stares.

"We shouldn't."

He'd seen Jessica before, plenty of times, when he was watching for Alex, and following Jay around. Alex's old girlfriend's, Amy's, roommate. From what Brian knew, and saw, she's just as normal as the rest of them are. Or, were. Circumstances haven't been normal for years. The night had passed, and the sun was rising. They weren't safe during the day, but, it was easier to see Alex or the thing pulling the strings from farther away. It's been two hours since they've shaken them, but still, Brian watches the trees.

"He doesn't know she's here."

But that wouldn't be for long. Alex was trawling the area now. Brian had Jay pegged well enough, but Jessica was a wild card. There was no telling where she could go. She could go to the police, or, throw her life away by following Jay around.

Masky stands. It was a stupid, childish name the ones following Jay's channel called him. But, it was short, and not complex in the slightest, making Brian unconsciously refer to him as that, too. It also allowed an easy bypass for Brian, stripping him of the awkward, almost painful, referral as Tim. Masky cocks his head, like a dog paying attention to their owner. He meets Brian's eyes, dark and unafraid, like that of a rabid animal. There was so much naked truth in those eyes, as hideous as they were to look into. 

"It's...." Brian sighs again, louder, " _Fuck_."

The other moves past him. He bends down, pointing to the camera. A red light was running.

 _Don't. Don't. Don't._ Brian scratches at his chin, through the fabric of his mask, then sighs again, "Take the tape. Let's get her out of the road."

He lifts Jessica, who was limp, her brain probably shaken like a newborn's in her head. He carried her over his shoulders. She was slight, almost scrawny, at least making that part of his job easy. It was like lifting nothing. He looks to his partner. He blinks, and recognizes the behaviors of switching. The shake of his hands, the shuddering breaths, the lowered head, eyes uncharacteristically not meeting Brian's and, of course, the coughing. It was these episodes that allowed that masked fiend to take over Tim's body. Or, perhaps, it was the other way around? Maybe this was the real Tim, the one who never spoke and never stood straight, and the one who wore his face naked was the Other, the fake. He always wondered that.

And he would keep wondering, since there was no chance to ask. He follows the path he needs, leaving the other to seize on the ground. He walks, and walks, until he finds himself back in that shack in the woods, all concrete and broken glass. He takes Jessica into the small, crowded room he used as a sleeping area. He sets her down on the old, stale mattress. It was barely a mattress. It was springs and fabric, with holes and rips, crusted with dirt and mud. It was slightly cooler out, in the early morning. Out of, if nothing else, politeness (And Brian was sure that shriveled up and died when he was first attacked by Alex,) he takes the moth - eaten blanket he kept, and lays it over her. 

Usually, when he comes back 'home,' he strips off his mask. He doesn't, this time. Unlike the rest of the people pulled into Alex Kralie's orbit, Jessica wasn't going to recognize him. But, he couldn't risk it. Nobody has seen his face in years, and he wasn't about to let some random bystander see it.

Well, Jessica wasn't a bystander anymore. She was now a participant.

He walks out of the alcove. He has no idea when Jessica would wake, so, he might as well get his daily routine down. And he doubts that the first thing that Jessica wants to see is him when she does wake up. He first takes the newly - acquired gun he procured from Alex, and hops up onto a window sill, placing it on the roof of the closet. It should be safe. Brian was getting very good at hiding things. He could be considered a pro, at this point.

He then moves outside. He checks the bushes around, for fruit, and finds it. He collects small, semi - ripe blackberries, and places them in a shitty, plastic basket that replicates wood he stole from a store some months ago. He pops a few into his mouth, lips curling at the tartness.

Then, he checks the rainwater he'd collected. The short pot he had was halfway filled. He takes it, and carries it to a fire pit he erected. He boils the water, then funnels it into an old water bottle when it cools. He brings both the fruit basket, and the water, back to the shack.

Jessica still isn't awake. Hadn't even moved an inch. He places both the basket, and the bottle, down next to where her head laid.

He debates his next move. At least he took her out from the side of the road, where she could be found by Alex or that thing that followed him. Or Jay. Or Tim.

While he can't say whether being found by Tim would be disastrous or not, being found by Jay certainly would be. She just narrowly escaped death not only once, but twice. Third time is always the charm. And that third would certainly be coming.

If, she got involved with Jay again.

And Brian couldn't let that happen. The more people Jay gets involved with (Physically, anyway. Thankfully, internet friends didn't count,) the more the sickness spreads. And, he needed Jay to be alone. He was at his weakest when there was no one around he could contact, and the weaker he was, the easier it was to goat and coax him wherever Brian needed him to go.

He sits down on the edge of the skinny, weathered mattress, knees pulled up. He leans his elbows over them, watching insects crawl in the corners of the wall. He lets his thoughts wander, and follows each bug with tired, disinterested eyes.

After an hour, Jessica finally stirs. Brian snaps out of his daydreaming, and stares at her. Her eyes open, blearily. She sits up and, as Brian expected, she flips out. Her breathing quickens into short, hyperventilating gasps. She throws the blanket off of her, cowering in the corner of the mattress.

He inhales, holding his breath. There was fear, and confusion, in her eyes. It didn't make Brian feel fucking good, to say the least. But, at least she wasn't screaming her head off. He stands, and had he been younger, the way she winces back would've made him deflate into nothing. But he wasn't that nice, young college student anymore. He was a survivor. A man on the edges of not only the world, but time and space as well. If he was lucky enough to find those pockets that didn't adhere to the normal laws of physics, anyway. He knew how to spot them, and had mapped them out pretty well. But, they had their own ways of doing things, and sometimes shifted. Paths Brian sometimes relied on weren't there, replaced, or simply gone.

But, one thing that always stayed the same, was this shack. Stolen away in a pocket of space and time that was untouched by the laws of nature around it.

Brian simply gestures to the fruit and water he left, and turns on his heel, walking out. He stands by the doorway, his back against the wall. He waits, and listens. He barely hears anything that isn't a shift of the mattress. He turns his head. Jessica had hers poked out of the doorway, half - hidden. She quickly ducks back into the room when he turns more.

He sighs, and waits. After some minutes, he hears the rustle of the basket, and the uncapping of the water bottle. Brian waits another five, ten minutes, before walking into the room. The basket is empty, the water bottle half - full. Jessica is still bunched up in the corner, her already wide eyes peeled wider.

"Where am I?" She asks. She has the blanket clenched tight in her hands, turning her pale knuckles bone - white.

Brian stares. He knows he's a menacing figure, with his tallness, and the subtle broadness of his shoulders, but intimidation wouldn't get him anywhere productive with Jessica. He, instead, shrugs at her.

Jessica frowns, "What? You're not gonna speak to me?"

He shakes his head in a _No_. He didn't speak unless he had to. His own voice annoyed him. Though, he wishes he had the insight to steal a notebook and a pen from the last store he went to. It would've been handy.

Her voice turns shrill, slightly, "Why am I here?"

Brian makes OK symbols with both his hands, then holds them over his eyes.

Jessica's eyebrows furrow together, "Goggles?"

He shakes his head.

"Glasses?"

He nods

She thinks longer, "Alex? I'm here because of Alex?"

He puts his hands down, nodding.

"Are you gonna kill me?" Her voice drops, low and strained.

He shakes his head. The only person's blood he wanted on his hands was Alex's.

"So what does he want? What's his goal?"

Unceremoniously, Brian drags a thumb across his neck.

"But why?" She sounded so close to tears.

Brian didn't know the answer, either. He always knew it was because of the Operator - a violent length of sickly - colored skin and crisp fabric, but the true motives were unknown. From what he gathered, each kill was a sacrifice to it, to keep it appeased, and stop the sickness from spreading any farther than where Alex orbited. But that was only an educated guess. They haven't had a heart - to - heart about it, so, the real reasons were Alex's, and they'd stay Alex's.

For now, anyway.

He squats down, getting to Jessica's eye level, but kept a distance away. He grabbed a few small rocks, laying them out on the dirty floor. Jessica watches, but doesn't move.

He arranges five small rocks. He pushes aside two, then two, then one. He takes a larger, darker rock, and places it next to the last small, tan one. He taps a different rock pair, motioning between him and Jessica.

"That's us?" She says quietly.

Brian nods, grinning in a way a teacher would to a kindergartner who just learned their times tables. _Good job!_ He then takes the dark rock, with its smaller companion, and holds them up.

Jessica's eyes dart around, "That's that thing, and....?"

He holds the dark rock in his fist, shaking the other. _C'mon, you can do it._ When all Jessica does is blink, he makes a gun with his hand.

"Oh," She says, "Alex."

He picks up one, motioning to his face - his mask.

"That's the guy with the mask," Jessica says.

And Brian picks up the last, unnamed one. 

"Jay."

_That's right._

"Where is he? Did he make it out OK?"

Truthfully, Brian didn't know. Though, he had a hunch that he was still at that hotel. He'll have to investigate later on. He shrugs.

"We should go back....Shouldn't we?"

Brian waves a finger. He places the other rocks neatly in a line. Then, he makes the rocks that represented Alex, and the Operator, tap the other rocks. Each time they do, he takes one away, until none are left. He picks his head up, looking at Jessica, expectantly.

"So Alex is....working with it? It's for that thing that follows him? And his goal is to...Kill us, or hand us over to it so it can kill us?"

Brian puts the rocks back down and does a small, sarcastic clap.

Jessica swallows, "So...W - What now? Are we working together?"

In a wordless no, Brian shakes his head. He lays out the rocks again. He pushes away the ones for Alex and the Operator, then pushes away two, for him and his masked companion, and then leaves the last two. He pushes them together, and then separates them.

She stares. Brian sighs, heavily, and rearranges the rocks. He grabs a few more rocks and pebbles and whatever else scattered around, organizing them until they read JAY. He takes two rocks. He waves one at her, then at the name on the ground. He puts them together, then separates them, as far as his arms can go.

It takes a few, long seconds, but it dawns on her, "We can't go back to Jay. Well, I can't go back to him."

Brian claps again. _Good job!_

"Can...Can I at least go home?"

 _No_ , He shakes his head.

"Why?"

He arranges the rocks around, until they make a house. He takes the black rock, and places it down next to it.

"It's watching me," She wrings her hands against her stomach, "What the fuck!" Her eyes flick around, and suddenly, she freezes. She jerks her head up, mouth open, "He killed Amy, didn't he? We were still living together when she went missing."

 _Of course he did,_ Brian wants to say. But he, instead, nods solemnly.

She covers her mouth, and then, she begins to cry.

He deflates. _Oh, c'mon...._ He makes several attempts to, if not comfort her, at least stop her wracked cries. But she acts as if he does nothing, and shakes, and sobs, and the hardened shield that Brian held over his own emotions cracks. He reaches into his pocket, and takes out a pack of tissues. Why he had them, don't ask, but he offers them to her. He taps her on the shoulder with it. She waves him away, curled up in the corner.

With something that could be frustration, he sighs, and silently gripes. He throws the tissue pack into her lap, and then stands, and leaves. If he couldn't help her in the moment, what was the point of staying while she cried her eyes out? He slumps down in the leaves outside the shack, crossing his legs. He pulls up his mask, until it came over his eyes, and leaned his cheek into his hand.

Time passed. An hour, maybe two. Jessica's crying died out into nothing but quiet, eerie silence. He rises, but freezes, his eyes picking out movement in the trees.

To his surprise, the Masked Man stumbles out. He limps, as he always did since Alex broke his leg, hunched over. It confused Brian, to say the least. He thought that Tim would've taken over already, and carried his body home. But, here Masky was. For a second, Brian squares his shoulders, studying the woods behind him, expecting Alex to be hot on the man's tail. Nobody emerges, though.

"What?" Brian snaps, his voice low.

Masky looks at the hut, then to Brian, tilting his head.

"Yes, she's in there - What do you want?"

The other reaches into his pocket, taking out the camera Jessica had dropped. He turns the screen around, and plays the video. It's of Alex - _Of course it is_. He's stalking around a house - Amy's house. Just as Brian predicted. He watches the voyeuristic video, until it stops. Nothing of real importance happens. 

"And where's our Jaybird?"

Masky jerks a thumb back.

"Still there. Good," Like Brian needed Jay, Alex needed Jay, too. While Brian hunted Alex, Alex was hunting Brian. He had it out for Tim, too, but Brian was his biggest target, by far. They both used Jay as a catalyst, a middleman for their own battle of wits. Brian used him to draw Alex out, while Alex used him to draw everyone around in.

It also presented Brian to another problem: Jessica could not go home until Alex had a different target.

He stretches out his shoulders, cracking his neck, "Here's what you're going to do. Watch Jay. Make him paranoid enough that he posts something stupid, and draws Alex away."

The other tilts his head, as if to say, _Then what?_

"Then we figure out our next move. Depends on where Jay goes," He puts his hands on his hips, "Make sure you take that tape."

Masky nods. He closes the camera, and puts it back into his pocket.

"And I need you to do something for me," Brian rubs a tongue over his teeth, jerking his head to the shed, "You stay here, and watch her. She can't leave."

Big, dark eyes stare into him, head tilting.

"Just do it," He pulls down his mask, "You don't have anything better to do."

Masky nods. He doesn't have anymore questions, and moves around him, going into the shack.

Brian follows a path back into town. Time didn't move, it was still early morning. He pulls his mask up over his eyes, so it rested on his brow, and headed straight to the first convenience store he sees. He briskly walks in, and grabs the following: Three packs of beef jerky, three water bottles, a notebook, and a pen. He stuffs his pockets, and briskly walks out before the clerk even notices him. He'd perfected the art of blending in. There's a lot of things, Brian realizes, that he's getting good at. Survival tactics, hiding, stealing, blending it. Had Brian been an animal, he'd make one Hell of a predator.

He walks back to his path home. It takes less than thirty minutes. When he comes back, nothing has changed. He goes into the shack, into the short alcove with the closet.

While Jessica occupied one corner of the room, Masky took up the other. The two of them were staring at each other, locked in some psychic battle of wits. Brian is afraid that, if he takes another step forward, he'll break the line of concentration, and the two's brains would erupt into liquid.

Jessica's eyes quickly flick to Brian. She had opened the tissue pack, and taken one, grasping it tightly in her one hand. Her cheeks were red and puffy, like her eyes. Silently, Brian walks into the room. He toes at Masky with his shoe.

Slowly, Masky rises. He looks at Brian, then moves past him, shoulders brushing. His footsteps die out into the forest, walking on.

"Really talkative," Jessica says sarcastically, sniffling.

Brian huffs at the bleak joke, and takes his score out of his clothes and pockets. He sets the waters down, then tosses one beef jerky bag to Jessica, placing the others next to the waters. The bag lands next to her. She eyes him, still untrustworthy. He steps over, and sits down on the other side of the mattress. He peers out the corner of his eye. Jessica holds out the tissue package.

"Thank you," She says, smally.

He takes it from her hand. He rubs his thumb over it, then passes it back to her. _Keep it._ She pulls away, pushing the tissues to the side. She doesn't smile, doesn't grin, face tight and grim.

"How many people do you know he's killed?" She asks.

He counts off his fingers. _Seth, Sarah, Amy._ Those were the only ones he knew. There were definitely plenty more, though, Brian was sure. Who knows who else Alex offered up to that thing.

"Is it....Weird to think that's a small number? That feels like a small number."

Brian exhales something that could be a laugh. Not that he knows what that sounds like. He hasn't laughed in years. He nudges the beef jerky towards her. No need to treat a guest like shit.

Slowly, Jessica reaches for the jerky. She holds it but doesn't open it. She stares, eyes wide, dark circles turning her cheeks gaunt.

"What's your name?" She asks, "You already seem to know me, so..."

Brian picks up the notebook, and pen. It's plain blue, spiral bound. He writes it down.

**Not important.**

Jessica's mouth turns to a tight line. Her eyes flick to the door, "What about the other guy?"

 **Masky**.

"That's....Surprisingly cute," She swallows, "Why am I here?"

Brian takes a deep breath. He scribbles down fast. **The more Alex kills, the more powerful that thing gets. He was after you, but he will lose interest if he can't find you, and think you are dead. You stay here until he does.** And, Brian won't deny, he liked making Alex's life as hard as possible. What better a thorn in his side than taking away a mark?

"But, why me, and not Jay?"

**Alex needs Jay. He won't kill him.**

Not yet, anyway.

"Why?"

He expected Jessica to have questions, and he found his patience wearing much thinner than he expected. **Too many questions** , He writes, **Ask again later.**

Her brows furrow, revealing a sour expression, " _Fine_ ," She says, quiet and bitter. She opens up the bag of jerky, but stops, eyeing Brian, "Aren't you eating?"

 **Not hungry.** He'd eat later on, out of her sight.

Time passes on in silence. Hours and hours, but the sun never moves from its place in the sky. Jessica shifts on the mattress.

"I have to pee," She says.

**Don't go too far.**

She stands, and walks out. Her clothes were dirty, with a rip in the knee of one of her jeans. As soon as she's out of sight, he exhales. He didn't enjoy her being there, encroaching on his territory. But, it was a necessary evil. Evil was harsh, it was more an annoyance.

Jessica comes back quicker than he expected, her cheeks flushed, "He's....Out there," Brian bounces up, ready to grab her and run, but she puts her hands up, " _Masky!_ The masked guy, not Alex."

He exhales. He pushes past her, and goes outside. Out in the trees, Masky was sitting, his back turned to the shack. Brian sighs. He grabs a stick, poking the man in the back. The Masked Man flinches. He has the camera in his hands, going over the footage from the morning. Brian whacks him softly in the arm.

"Enough," He says, "Just take the tape and destroy it. Or record over it. I don't care. You've got work to do."

Masky makes an unhappy, low sound. He opens the camera, taking the tape out. Brian snatches the camera away. Masky makes another unhappy sound, then walks off, following a path out of the space.

Dropping the branch, Brian shoves the camera into his pocket. Jessica is waiting in the doorway, and he wonders if she heard him. If she did, she says nothing. She looks around the space outside.

"It's a nice place you've got here," She says.

It was a shitty, overgrown area with a broken - down building. Nice wasn't even in the top ten things Brian would call this place. When she gets no reply, she moves past him, and walks around the building. Brian goes back inside, taking his spot at the foot of the mattress. He opens up a jerky bag, quickly eating a few. His body feels so heavy, and his brain is shorted out. He could use some sleep. He quickly cleans up when he hears footsteps on broken glass. She stands in the doorway to the room, hands playing with themselves.

"Do you know what time it is?" She asks.

Brian reaches into his pocket, taking out the camera, and checking the timestamp. He flips the screen, showing her.

Her eyebrows knit together, and she looks from the camera, to Brian, back again, "It's five PM?"

He nods.

"That's not possible."

He cocks his head. He takes his notebook out. **Time works different here.**

"And where are we, really?"

 **Somewhere safe. Alex can't get here.** That Brian knows about. He's banking on the changing paths to keep the space hidden.

She moves around him, sitting down on the mattress. She sits closest to the wall, taking the blanket. She moves it between them, like a barrier, and curls up, leaning her head against the wall.

Time passes, and Jessica falls asleep. Brian takes the blanket between them, and places it over her shoulders. He's done more with less, there was no need to be selfish.

And as he sits back, he realizes that Jessica had the perfect opportunity to leave, and she chose not to. She trusted his word, if not him. She _definitely_ did not trust him. And he didn't really give her reason to.

He leans his head back, and falls asleep.

When he wakes up from his dreamless rest, he looks over. Jessica is gone. He sits up, sharply sucking air. He sighs. Of course she'd take the chance to escape while he was asleep. He stands, seeing that nothing he'd brought was taken. He pokes his head out of the room, not seeing her. He goes outside, looking around for a flash of purple. He rounds the building.

Over by the blackberry bushes, Jessica was investigating the plants. She hears the crunch of Brian's shoes in the leaves, and snaps her head up. She puts her hands up, in defeat, "I wasn't going anywhere! I was just looking around."

He stares at her. Then he turns on his heel, and goes back around. Worries dashed, he takes a leak, then goes inside and takes a drink of water, and some breakfast jerky. When he pulls his mask down, he turns, and stiffens seeing Jessica in the doorway. She offers a soft grin.

"You don't have to wear the mask," She says, "I....Probably don't even know you, right?"

He shakes his head. _You don't._ But he won't take it off. He sits down on the floor, his back to the wall, facing the door. He tilts his head up, meeting Jessica's stare with his hidden one. She meets it with much less shyness than he expected.

"What's with the mask, anyway?" She asks. She shrugs, "Seems....Useless. It's not like you live in town, with a lotta people around."

Brian takes his notebook out. **I have no face.**

Her lips quirk in a confused grin, but she doesn't say anything. She sits down on the mattress, legs drawn up. They share glances and looks, but don't say anything. Nobody ever told Brian that hiding out with someone else would be so boring. He would've just stayed alone.

And for the next few days, that's how the two have been enjoying each other's company. In tense, awkward silence. Sometimes Jessica asks questions. Sometimes Brian answers them. Sometimes Jessica talks about herself. Sometimes Brian listens.

Underneath the fear, and the sadness, Jessica had an air of go - with - the - flow to her. She had questions, sure, but she seemed surprisingly accepting of her circumstances. More accepting than Brian expected her to be, by far.

By day five, the temperature drops. Weather and seasons never mattered to the little pocket Brian carved himself out in the edge so, while it's no surprise to him, it's wretched for Jessica. She is dressed in a thin shirt and pants, and shivers in the rough blanket draped around her shoulders. Brian, however, didn't mind the cold. He'd weathered through worse, but he can't stop his body's natural response to shake.

And as he sits there, Jessica moves closer. She wraps an arm around him, moving half the blanket over his shoulders, while curling up into his side.

Brian freezes up, body stiffening to stone. His first instinct is to throw the blanket off, and curl up in the far corner, or maybe outside. But, he can feel her body heat through his clothes, warm and human. He goes over the word, again and again and again. _Human_. He stopped thinking himself as human long ago, too twisted by everything.

Longing dredged up inside him, like the trawl of a boat. Deep down, deep beneath everything he's tried so hard to build up, he wanted to be human again. He wanted to sleep in a bed, in a house, and go to work and finish school and not have to look over his shoulder or worry about where his next meal will be. He kept that truth hidden away for so long. It surprised him it only five days with a tangible person to help him remember.

He doesn't move as she relaxes into his body, limply falling asleep. Sleep does not come to him.

Some hours later, when she finally wakes, and pulls away, he hates it. He longs for touch. For people. For Alex to disappear so he can leave the space and carve himself out a new life, in a town instead of a broken down hut.

Rain comes down in buckets that morning. Jessica stands in the doorway, and thanks to the cool, rainy air, she has the blanket draped around her thin shoulders.

"It looks like shit out there," She says quietly, as Brian goes and stands next to her.

Brian laughs, but then reels it in. He glances at her, quickly, to see a surprised look on her face. He dips his head, and goes back into their shared space.

Later on, they're sitting on the mattress, together. Closer than before. He starts thinking. Things get dangerous when Brian starts thinking.

He thinks about Jessica, and how she chooses to stay. He wasn't really her captor. He never was violent with her, nor did he really want to keep her there. And Jessica never made any attempt to leave, either. It was like the two of them were trapped in the same, stopped elevator. Neither kept each other, neither hated each other. They just orbited one another, occupying two corners, making only enough conversation so neither went mad over it.

He keeps his head low, staring at her from the corners of his eyes. She is looking at him, head titled. She grins, visibly, but smally. He looks over her. Her gaunt cheeks, her wide eyes. She was pretty, he realizes. Very pretty. But she plays it off coyly, playing with her long hair. Brian has always been bisexual, with more of a preference for women, and Jessica was definitely his type.

Mentally, Brian smacks himself. Of _course_ this would happen. He's horribly lonely. The only companion he's ever had was Masky, and he sure wasn't a conversationalist. He wasn't kind, he wasn't shy. There was barely a person under the mask, just a hollow copy of a person, and he definitely wasn't Jessica.

He turns his head away. He felt like a creep. She simply was making her time here the best she could. That meant _nothing_ about how she felt about him. And he was definitely sure affection was the last thing that was on her mind.

Day seven comes. For some Godforsaken reason, the days stayed cold, and Jessica didn't hesitate to bundle up next to Brian. She draws her legs up to her chest, hiding as much of herself as she could inside the blanket. Nervously, his heart thuds. He shudders out a shaky breath, and Jessica reads it as him being cold. Along with the blanket, she wraps an arm around him, eyes squeezed shut, as if that would somehow stave off the cold. Her hand dangles over his shoulder.

Against his better judgement, he shrugs out of her arm, and takes both her hands. Even through his gloves he can feel how icy they are. They're smaller, and he has no trouble folding his larger hands over them. He rubs them, and when he sees that they're still cold, and moves them into the front pocket of his hoodie. He expects Jessica to pull away. She doesn't. If anything, she leans into him.

Of course, Brian immediately chalks it up to the dreadful cold. He was a heat source. He doesn't raise his head to look at her, and they shivered together.

Soon enough, the cold ebbs away, replaced by light and warmth, returning back to the natural summer months. He begins to pull away, expecting Jessica to do the same.

She does not.

Instead, she keeps her hands in his front pocket. He holds his breath as he raises his head. She's staring at him. Very hard. Very earnestly. It doesn't help that she's only a few inches away, a distance Brian would really like to make wider.

He couldn't allow himself to be distracted. He brought her here to protect her - Er, to isolate Jay again, and make sure she didn't die a horrible, gruesome death. He couldn't. Not even by the curve of her mouth, the tumble of her hair over her shoulders, or how, when it's hotter, she unbuttons her shirt to reveal a little bit of her chest, or -

_Where the fuck is that masked idiot? It's been over a week where is he -_

And his entire train of thought it driven right off course. Jessica pulls her hands out of his pockets, only to lay them flat on his chest. He breathes, shaky, and he wonders if she can feel his heartbeat travel up her fingers.

It's pathetic. He's undone, and so fucking fast, and by who? A woman he's known longer than she realizes? He was much more put together in his college years, as short as they lasted.

She leans in.

The more logical part of his brain controls him this time. He turns his head away, poising away his mouth, even though she can't even get to it with his mask on.

Jessica pulls her hands away, and Brian fights not to follow them. Her cheeks go red, "I - I'm sorry," She says, voice quiet.

He puts up a hand, making an OK symbol. She finds no humor, or comfort, in it, and pulls away, pushing the blanket off, head and eyes turned away. Brian tucks away his hand, feeling very foolish. 

He grabs his notebook. **BRB** , He writes. He leaves, following the path to town, ripping off his mask, and breathing deep. He can see her face in his mind's eye, pupils blown, hair brushed to the side. His heart hammers so much, it threatens to burst out of his chest.

Brian takes the long way into town, which takes a good thirty minutes longer. It's mid afternoon for the rest of the world and, according to the papers, much less days have passed since Jessica had been there. For the rest of the world, only three days have gone by since the night they staved Alex and his Operator off, while a week and a half had come and gone for them.

He keeps his head down, beelining for a store. He grabs his usual take - snacks and water bottles - and grabs an extra: A small package of gummy bears. He leaves, without alerting anyone, and takes his path back home. He half expects Jessica to be gone. She's not, still sitting on the mattress. She raises her head.

"That masked guy was here," She says. She holds up a pill bottle, shaking it.

Brian may as well have been visited by an angel. He tosses her the snacks, exchanging them for the pill bottle. It's full. Tim must've just filled his prescription. He looks down, and Jessica's eyes narrow.

"What are they?"

He grabs his notebook, **Not important.** Earning a frown in response. Brian goes out, placing the pill bottle up on the top ledge with the gun, then comes back in. There was no need to take any just yet. When he is back, Jessica has a bag of snacks in her lap. **Anything else he leave?**

She holds up two tapes.

He takes them, and the video camera he still had. It was frozen in time, the battery level hasn't even moved. He plugs in the first tape.

Timestamp reads midday. Masky's shaky handiwork is clear. He climbs the stairs up to that hotel, then hides in an opposite corridor. Jay leaves his hotel room, unaware of the watcher. He locks his room door, and heads to an opposite stairwell. Masky waits until he's out of sight, then moves forward. Instead of Jay's door, he goes to Jessica's. He opens the door with a keycard from his pocket, going inside. It's neat, the beds made. He places the camera down on the nightstand between the beds, and sits on the edge of the bed, staring at the door that joined Jay's room.

Time passes. Thirty minutes, maybe more. There's rustling on the other side of the door. Masky rises. He knocks lightly on the door. Movement on the other side stops. Jay, on the other side, jiggles the doorknob. When there's no answer, Jay gives up. The Masked Man waits ten minutes, then knocks again.

Masky continues this pattern for over an hour, until Jay finally wizens up, and goes to the door to the room, knocking harshly. Masky turns his head, but doesn't move from in front of the joined door.

After ten minutes, Jay gives up. Masky bangs harshly on the joined door, then unlocks it, quickly hiding under one of the beds. Jay bursts through. He looks worse for wear, circles deep, making his already wide eyes wider. He's got his trusty camera in hand. He looks around the room, mouth a frightened frown. He takes a quick sweep around, then retreats back into his, slamming the door shut.

The footage stops there. Brian pops out the tape, replacing it with the other.

This one is a little more intimate. It features Masky, in Jay's room. How he got in there, Brian had no idea, but it probably wasn't too hard. The night vision is on, showing off Jay's sleeping form. Masky sets the camera down, on the desk. He then begins to move everything he can get his hands on. He strips the blankets off the other bed, throwing them to the ground. He grabs the tripod Jay had set up, laying it sideways on the carpet. He takes the tape out, shoving it into his pocket. He goes to Jay's laptop, flipping it over. He takes the duffle bag Jay had, taking out every article of clothing inside, and dumping it along the bed he's just unmade.

He looks over his handiwork, then grabs his camera. He points the lens right at Jay, who hadn't stirred at all. The tape cuts out.

Jessica, who had been looking over Brian's shoulder, furrows her brows, "What's he doing?"

Brian grabs his notebook, **Forcing Jay to leave. Jay will record what happened, post it, then say he will be leaving the motel.**

"How do you know?"

**He's predictable. He'll leave. If he doesn't after that, then we'll just have to get creative.**

"You're not gonna hurt him, are you?" She frowns.

 **No** , Brian says, **Hurting him gets us nowhere. We just want to scare him.**

Jessica averts her eyes, drawing her knees up. She opens the bag of gummy bears, chewing on a few. She holds the bag out.

It's been a while since Brian's eaten something sweet. He holds his open hand out, and she pours eight or nine in there. He pokes his fingers into the bottom of his mask, popping gummies into his mouth without lifting it. Each bite makes his teeth ache. He glances over, seeing Jessica staring at him. He wishes he could rummage around through her head. She must've suffered some major brain damage when she was attacked by Alex if she even entertained the thought of touching Brian.

He picks up his notebook, **Only a matter of time before Alex loses interest.**

"So...What am I supposed to do when I get home? Just...Hope everything goes back to normal? Forget that...That Amy's dead and..."

 **You have to. If you don't, Alex WILL come for you.** He underlines WILL several times. **Do you still live in the house you shared with Amy?**

"Yeah."

**You should move as soon as you can.**

"My lease has three months left," She says.

**Make arrangements to go as soon as you get there. Break the lease if you have to. Is a few months of owed rent worth your life?**

"No."

**Does Alex know where you work?**

"I work from home."

**Lucky you.**

"I wouldn't say that," She says quietly.

Brian tilts his head. He's about to ask why, before his more rational side takes over. _Don't. The more you get to know her, the worse it'll be when she goes._

And, suddenly, he's angry with himself. _Miss_ her? Why would he _miss_ her? He didn't miss _anyone_. He, least of all, would miss Jessica, no matter how lonely he was.

Jessica ruffles her hair, nodding, muttering a soft word of acknowledgment. She's quiet for a few moments, "And what are you gonna do?"

**Same as always. Survive.**

"That's no way to live."

 **I don't have a choice**. As long as Alex Kralie lives and breathes, Brian could never go back to a normal life. He doesn't even know if he can, at this point. His family still thinks he's missing. He wonders what story Alex told them. That he was supposed to meet him at that abandoned building, and never showed? Or, maybe he told them that he last saw him at school, and never mentioned meeting that day? Maybe he didn't say anything. Maybe he left town that very same day. Maybe -

He feels his grip dent the cardboard cover of the notebook. He pulls it back.

"How long have you been hiding from Alex?"

**A few years.**

"That's a long time to be on the run."

**I'm used to it.**

"What's....What's your endgame, here?"

He writes it in big letters: **KILL ALEX.**

Jessica's eyes flash from the notebook, to Brian, "Have...You ever killed anyone before?"

 **No**.

"But you're just OK with taking his life, just like that?"

Brian flares his nostrils, scribbling in annoyance, **YES. He needs to die. He's dangerous. He's ruined my life. Now I'm taking his.**

"Will that even stop the thing with him?"

**Probably not. But it takes away the puppet it uses. That's something.**

"Didn't you say it gets more powerful with everyone it kills?" She shakes her head, "Wouldn't killing Alex just give it what it wants?" She speaks faster than Brian can write, "What if you kill Alex, and it heads for you next?"

 **ALEX IS WEAK** , He holds it close up to her face, **I'M NOT. IT CAN'T CONTROL ME LIKE IT CAN HIM.**

"How do you know?" She says, "It's not like you've been hunting others like him," She curls her lip, eyebrows knitted, "It's....It'd be _suicide_ to go after him."

Teetering on angry, he scribbles fast, **LIKE YOU WOULD KNOW.**

"It doesn't sound like you know that much either."

With a flushed face, thanking his mask, Brian scribbles hard, almost ripping the paper, **YOU ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS.**

There's a pause from Jessica, her frown deepening, "Sorry," Her voice becomes a sharp edge, "But I'm stuck here in the middle of _God - knows - fucking - where_ , on the run from some supernatural entity who took over the boyfriend of my best friend, which made him _kill_ her," Her voice pitches, "So _sorry_ for asking so many fucking questions!"

Brian stares into her eyes, not widened with fear, but anger, wet with tears she refuses to let fall. He almost wishes he had actual answers for her. He places his notebook down, flat on his lap. She tears her eyes away from him, drawing her knees up. Her hair falls over her shoulder in a way that hides her face, but there's a tremble in her shoulders. She lays down, on her side, drawing the blanket up.

The first thing Brian feels he should do is apologize. But it's quickly blanked by his more selfish side, and he simply looks away, closing himself off.

Hours pass, and this time, the sun dips low in the sky, casting everything in orange. Jessica is fast asleep. Brian shimmies back on the mattress, his back to the wall. The mattress was big enough for the both of them to lie down in, if a tight squeeze, but Brian didn't dare to cross that line.

Just as Brian closes his eyes and is about to drift off, Jessica kicks him in his thigh. He snaps awake, looking at her. At first, he thinks it on purpose, but quickly realizes that she's still asleep. It looked like her dreams were taking a darker turn. She starts rolling around, twitching, flinching. She mutters to herself, the lines in her face deepening. Some extreme dreaming was going on in her head. Probably a nightmare. She kicks him again.

He sighs, deep, and grabs her ankle. To avoid getting bruised, he pulls both her feet up onto his lap, stretching his legs out so they lay on his thighs. As soon as he settled down again, she stops kicking, and moving around, dreams subsiding. 

It would've been so easy to leave her behind on that road. It would be easier than having to stay in the hut, confined to its walls, with only one other for company. Having one person is worse than none, Brian realizes. He rubs a thumb on the exposed skin of her ankle, drifting off.

As soon as his eyes closed, thunder shakes the hut, making both jump. Lightning crosses the room, lighting it, sky darkening at an unnatural rate. The temperature drops. Jessica breathes, her breath visible fog. Through the cracked, drafty window, rain hammers, pattering harshly on the glass. Brian watches the trees shake and shiver under violent winds.

Jessica brushes her hair away, pulling her legs back, "Is the weather always like this?"

He grabs his notebook, **Shitty?**

Her lips quirk, "Unpredictable."

He shrugs and nods.

She looks away. She lifts the blanket up, patting the space next to her. Brian waves her off.

"Oh, c'mon, you're gonna freeze," She shrugs, "I'm not gonna try anything again. I promise. I'm sorry."

Sorry was absolutely the last thing Brian wanted to hear from her. It wasn't her behavior he was worried about. He waves her off again.

"What, are you pouting?"

Brian snaps his head to her. He didn't _pout_. He hasn't _pouted_ since he was five. This _wasn't_ pouting. And other than that, such a direct and rude statement was out of character for what Brian knew of Jessica so far.

Jessica crosses her arms, "I wish you would just talk to me. I know you can."

He just flushes further.

"And I at least deserve your name, for my good behavior. I haven't even tried to leave yet - "

He quickly grabs his notebook, **If I lay down, will you be quiet?**

Jessica's mouth closes softly. She nods.

He throws down his notebook. Other than just wanting her teasing to end, the bitter cold is also abysmal. Brian doesn't know how many more long stretches of obscenely shitty weather he could take. Against his better judgement, he lays down, keeping his back to her and facing the wall. It's not weird, they're fully grown adults, perfectly capable of laying down without fucking, and it's Brian's dusty mattress they laid on. He had every right to lay on it, whether she was there or not. Jessica throws the blanket over the both of them, laying down with her back to him, curled up. Even through his hoodie, he can feel how warm she is. He tries to keep his thoughts away from her, and on the cracks in the concrete wall.

Seconds turn to minutes, and Jessica's breathing stays even, even through the hammering in Brian's chest rapidly beats. His brain wants her gone, but his gut tightens at the thought of being alone again.

He hates himself. He _knew_ this would get complicated, he _knew_ \- 

In her sleep, Jessica mutters. She turns over, pressing her face between his shoulders. Oh, how smart it would be to jump up and sleep outside in the leaves. But Brian is selfish, and greedy, and he relishes in the accidental touch because it's all he has. Accidents. Things pass on through his life, tear it up like a tornado, and leave only carnage behind.

Jessica's hands circle around his waist pulling him closer.

In a split second, Brian makes a choice. He doesn't want things to happen to him anymore. He wants to take control. He wants things to happen because he is the _cause_ , not the destination, of events.

He turns over. Jessica stirs in her sleep, only shimmying closer, leaning her head onto his chest. Brian stays very, very still. She is so warm, and the space underneath the ragged blanket fills with their shared body heat. He starts to raise a hand, to touch her hair, which always looked so soft -

Glass and stones crack under footsteps, just outside the door. Brian pushes Jessica away, leaping up -

He's greeted by the masked fiend himself, Masky. He hobbles in. Brian, in his rage, grabs him by the jacket, pulling him out, closer to the entrance of the hut. He pushes him.

"Where the fuck have you been?" He spits, voice low.

Masky tumbles, half his body falling into the dead leaves that blanketed the forest floor. He doesn't respond with even a look, breathing heavily. Brian overlooks him. His bad leg is tilted, just slightly, and he holds his arm. Brian notices a rip in the sleeve. It could only mean one thing.

He grabs Masky by his jacket, hauling him back up to his feet, their faces an inch apart, "Did you fucking lead him here?" He harshly whispers.

The Masked One doesn't say, but Brian knows Alex well enough to know he'll follow. He throws Masky back, who catches himself on the wall, stopping his fall. He reaches into his pocket, weakly showing off a tape.

Brian snatches it from his hand. He goes to the small room. Jessica is standing in the corner, crouched slightly, ready for an escape. Brian motions for her to follow, then goes to the top of the closet, jumps onto the inner window ledge, grabbing his pill bottle, and the gun. He tucks the gun away into his waistband, uncapping the bottle. He takes a pill, then passes one to Jessica. She simply stares at it. He snaps his fingers, _Hurry up!_

She swallows it dry. Brian grabs her hand, and starts to run.

"What about your partner?" Jessica asks, running fast enough that she was only one step behind him.

Brian didn't have the luxury to fucking care at the moment. If that masked freak couldn't escape Alex, that was his problem. Brian picks a path, and follows. The frozen air becomes warm and muggy, the sky becoming pitch black.

Jessica gasps, "What the - "

He reaches back, grasping her hand, sprinting down over a dirt path, soppy leaves and mud softening their steps. Branches flanking the path catch at his clothes. He skids to a stop at a crossroads, Jessica bumping into him. _Shit_. He doesn't know where either of these paths end up.

Jessica pushes forward, pulling Brian with her. She goes left. Brian rolls with it, pacing behind. The path she picks can't be any worse than staying put. They run, and run, and run through the dark forest -

Searing sunlight hits the both of them. They both skid to a halt, slipping in dirt, the ground slightly wet, making them slip, and fall. They both quickly clamor up. Jessica grabs Brian's arm, helping him, who rips it back, swiveling his head. It was broad daylight, the two standing in a field, reeds and wild grass coming up to their knees. The field went on for half a mile, forest bordering. Brian turns around, looking at any sign of familiarity, and sees -

Alex's old house. The one he rented in college.

In a panic, he grabs Jessica's hand, running the other direction. He can feel another path close by, a trickle of electricity making the hair on his arms stand.

"Wait," Jessica points out, "There's a house back there - "

Brian runs like his fucking life depended on it, which it did, the two escaping into the treeline. He finds a path, follows -

The sunlight dims, like someone had covered the sun with a thin blanket. It was sunset, the sky pink, the edges of the clouds red. They were at the edges of town, near a truck depot. Brian exhales. The Operator wouldn't follow them into town, it liked isolated places. But he doesn't relax just yet. He holds Jessica's hand tight, and sprints through the depot, until they reached a road. Cars were packed together with evening traffic. The two walk, following the sidewalk. Down further, there was a bridge, revealing a disused railroad underneath.

He lets go of Jessica's hand. He slides down the bank, tripping on the way down. He rips his mask off, inhaling air and coughing. He leans against the concrete support. He didn't see any sign of Alex, but one thing was for sure, that hideout was done for. They couldn't go back to it. He punches the concrete, knuckles stinging.

A plan bubbles in his mind. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. But it was their only option. He knew where they were, and knew exactly where the place he needed would be. The space with the hut was the only place Brian knew was undiscovered. It could takes months to find another, and he definitely didn't have months to spend playing tourist.

He pulls his mask back on, walking out from under the bridge. He rounds the concrete supports, to walk back up the bank, only to bump into Jessica. She hops back, surprised. He stiffens, then sighs heavily, deflating. He shoves his hands into his pockets, playing it cool, and motions for her to follow.

They walk like they're in a death march. The surroundings start getting familiar.

"Wait," Jessica says, "Wait, I thought....I thought I couldn't be back?" She stops.

Brian slumps his shoulders, sighing heavily. He turns around, jerking his head forward. _Let's go_. Jessica shifts her weight from one foot, to the other, then continues to follow.

After twenty minutes, the two arrive at Jessica's house. Her shared house, the one she had with Amy. Brian raises his head, staring at the windows. No lights were on. No car was in the driveway. It was painted a faded honey color, with a neat lawn, and white painted trimmings. It was a beautiful property.

"It's empty. The landlord is still looking for someone to take Amy's place," Jessica says quietly, "Nobody wants to live where a girl went missing."

Brian doesn't say anything. Jessica reaches into her pocket, and takes out a set of keys. She approaches the front door, before Brian places a hand on her shoulder. He points to himself, _Let me,_ then takes the keys from her. He holds out a hand as he walks to the door, _Stay here_.

The door unlocks, swinging open. Everything was cast in darkness. Brian swipes his hand around the wall, finding a light, and flicking it on. Pale light illuminates some photos on the wall, some furniture around.

He walks through the house, opening every closet, checking under every bit of furniture. It was a two story house, no basement, no attic. It was plainly furnished, with pale wood furniture. It was neat and tidy, as if it were a dollhouse, instead of a home. There was no sign of Alex. The house was split down the middle, only giving Brian access to half the abode. He jiggles the handle that leads to the other side of the house through the living room, finding that it's locked. He thinks of kicking it down.

No need to cause problems when a solution is just within reach.

He goes out the back door. The backyard lawn was neat, with flowers and bushes and trees lining the edges, white deck furniture laid out. A privacy fence was built, tall with neat light brown wood. Had he cared more, Brian would comment on how peaceful it was. He eyes a large tree that's growing close to the house, conveniently on the empty side of the house. With practice under his belt, he grabs a low branch, climbing up the tree. Usually, he finds that it's the lower windows that are locked, while the upper ones are left open. People think they're safe on the second floor.

One window is unlocked and open. He pops it open, going inside. The other side is completely empty, smelling of dust, the walls pale yellow. Amy's family probably emptied out everything. He feels sorry for her. He'd met Amy once or twice, at parties, and she seemed nice enough. What a waste of a life.

The other side of the house was a parallel of Jessica's. He checks the same places, finding no sign of Alex, or any other occupant. He climbs out back the window, shimmying down the tree, cutting through Jessica's house. He motions her inside. She goes in, beelining for the kitchen. She checks a digital clock on the kitchen counter.

"I've only been gone four days," She says it with soft wonder. She turns around, "How is that possible?"

Brian shrugs, his hands in his pockets.

Jessica exhales, clutching something to her chest. Brian failed to realize that she carried the digital camera, and the notebook with her. His cheeks go red. If Alex found either of those, it would've blown Brian's plan right out of the water. Jessica sets the items down, going to the cabinets, and bringing out a container of coffee grinds. She turns on a coffee maker plugged into the wall, filling the machine with water. She keeps her back to Brian, shoulders slouched. She seemed exhausted.

Brian sits down at the round diner - style table. He takes the camera, opening it up, and popping in the tape.

It was unremarkable. It just showed Masky hiding out in the trees, watching Jay load up his car, then leave, the footage cutting off. Nothing else important. So, why was Masky running?

He had two theories. Either Masky was watching Jay, and Alex happened to just stumble over him, or, Alex anticipated them watching Jay, and was watching for them. Or, worst of all, Alex finally found the path to the hut, and they escaped just by the skin of their teeth.

All of those options were as bad as sin.

When he closes the camera, the coffee is ready. It fills the kitchen up, making Brian's stomach warble, and his mouth water. He hadn't had coffee, a _real_ cup, not instant coffee packets he stole from stores, in _years_. Jessica pours two mugs. She puts a little sugar and milk in the two of them, bringing them to the table, and setting them down. Brian's cup is plain white with a yellow flower design. Ever the king of self control, he keeps his mask down and on.

"What happened?" She asks, "Why did we have to run?"

He scribbles in his notebook. **Masky was wounded. Didn't know if he brought Alex. Didn't want to risk staying longer.**

"Is he gonna be OK?"

**He'll be fine.**

She eyes the camera, "What's on the tape?"

**Jay. He left the hotel.**

"So, it's alright for us to be here? I'm safe?"

He hesitates. **No**.

"So why are we here?"

 **Nowhere else to go.** He pauses. **Can I use your computer?**

She says yes. He takes the coffee, and runs upstairs. He flips on the light to Jessica's office, closing the door behind him. The office was a big room with white walls. A large alcove window carved out a comfortable - looking reading nook, adorned with pillows and cushions, and blankets. A few books were stacked near the edge. He goes to Jessica's computer desk.

The desk had a large monitor, with a computer running underneath. He moves the mouse, the computer warming to life. It was covered in papers, semi - neat, but stacked in large piles. He carefully moves them over, stretching out in Jessica's office chair, leather worn and comfortable. He slips his mask off. He sips the coffee in his hand, sighing at the warm rumble it sent through his body. He's used to using the public library. It was a nice change of pace.

He quickly opens up Youtube, checking Jay's channel. As Brian expected, he made a quick video about the strange happenings, and said he was leaving for a different motel. He leans back, scratching through the beard that he never took care of. He didn't feel like working on some mysterious, encrypted video for Jay right then, he'd go to the library for that. He turns the computer off, going to the window. He looks down at the books stacks.

With subtle curiosity, he picks a few up. Surprising him, they were books on biology, and genetics, with a few on medicine. Richard Dawkins, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Carl Zimmer, just to name a few. He didn't realize she had an interest in anything like that, is she in college? He remembers his own school days fondly. _Jealously_. Back then, all he had to worry about was student loans and a promising future as a nurse. Now he worried about being murdered in a myriad of horrible different ways, and freezing to death. He puts the books down, looking out the window.

Night fell, the moon a silver sickle in the sky, peeking through dark clouds. The view revealed the house next door, a rancher, with a wide yard, manicured with neat flowerbeds. He could see the sidewalk, a tree growing from between the concrete slabs, separating the ground, roots twisting. It wasn't a bad view, by all accounts. Brian sips his coffee, seeing the wind rustle the leaves in the amber colored streetlights. His eyes draw down.

A shadow moves underneath the tree. Brian stops his cup before it touches his lips again. He watches the dark shape move, edging into the light, amber catching a plastic face.

Brian barely hears the mug smash to the ground as he sprints down the stairs. He throws open the door, running outside. He grabs that masked fiend's jacket, pulling him off of the sidewalk, and into the house.

Jessica is standing in the open doorway of the kitchen, "Is that - "

Brian drags Masky past her, out the back door. He almost throws him down the steps, enraged, "What the _fuck_ are you doing here?" He whispers, harsh and low, "You brainless _idiot_. If you brought Alex here, I swear to fucking _God_ \- "

The other stumbles, but doesn't lose his balance. He's still clutching his arm. He did the same thing when Alex broke his leg, acting like a wounded animal, looking for a safe place to lick his wounds.

"How did you even know where I was?" Brian asks sharply. When the other doesn't reply, Brian sighs heavily, drags him to the white patio furniture, sits him down, then stomps into the house.

Jessica is watching from the open back door. She slides out of the way, asking him, "Why is he here? What happened?"

Brian grabs his notebook, **First aid kit?**

"Upstairs, in the bathroom."

He stomps up the stairs, ignoring the mess he left in Jessica's office, and grabs the first aid kit from under the bathroom sink. Outside, Masky hasn't moved from his spot on a plastic white chair, his jacket off, and on the ground, but Jessica has moved out of the house, arms crossed, staring intently at him. They were having another staring contest, one Brian doesn't mind breaking up. The backyard light was turned on, casting them in yellow light. Brian grabs Masky's arm, stretching it out. Masky groans, but doesn't pull away.

The injury was a long cut along Masky's forearm, stretching from wrist to elbow. It had stopped bleeding, becoming a coagulated mess of dark streaks that stained him and his clothes.

 _It's not even that bad, you idiot_ , Brian wants to say. It wasn't so bad he had to follow him and Jessica through the paths. He pops open the first aid kid, taking out some antiseptic. He pours it over the cut, dabbing with a cotton ball. Masky hisses out in pain, but doesn't move.

"Did Alex attack you?" Jessica asks him, stepping closer.

Only a stare answers her.

Her eyes dart to Brian, then back to him, "How'd you get hurt?"

There's no response. Jessica looks up to Brian, who shrugs and shakes his head. He usually didn't ask questions, just orders. Masky was akin to a dog, violent and obedient. It surprised Brian that he didn't choke on his own tongue yet, he was so mentally inept, walking around with the brain of a troubled eight - year - old in his head. Jessica goes into the house, disappearing, then coming back out with Brian's notebook and a pen. She hands them to the masked man, then steps back. Masky stares blankly at the notebook, then picks up the pen, opening the pages with one hand. He scribbles, swinging his leg as Brian takes a needle and thread, stitching his wound closed, like he was a toddler getting his blood pressure checked. He puts the pen down, passing it back.

Jessica looks at it, with an expression close to bewilderment, then holds it up so Brian can see. It's a simple, shitty forest with trees. There's a stick figure of a man with glasses and a hat (Alex, Brian knows.) In Alex's hand is a shittily - drawn knife, with a little color dripping off of it to show he'd used it.

"Stabbed by Alex," She translates.

 _I figured that out already_ , Brian thinks, trying to keep the stitching even.

"Was he following you?"

Masky holds his hand out for the notebook. Jessica passes it back. He scribbles down one word in borderline - illegible handwriting; **No**. Then adds, **Stop him follow Jay. Broke his glasses. Ran after got cut.**

Brian cuts the string to the stitches, then wraps it neatly. Masky flexes his fingers, picking at an edge of the bandage. Brian smacks his hand. _No._

"Is there a reason you're so violent with him?" Jessica asks, "Can't you just _ask_ him?"

It wasn't even a real smack, Brian thinks. He then frowns. He could just speak in front of her. There was no real, tangible reason to keep his silent facade up anymore, other than to be a spiteful fuck.

And a spiteful fuck Brian would continue to be, as he shook his head. Jessica sighs through her nose. Masky pushes the notebook away, grabbing his torn jacket off the ground and pulling it on. Without any acknowledgment, he walks to the edge of the yard, opening the fence gate, and stepping out.

"Guess he's OK," Jessica mutters, "Where does he go?"

Brian shrugs. He didn't know where that masked freak goes. Brian never had to seek him out, only Tim, who was usually in a total of four or five relatively close places.

"Why don't you go with him? I'm sure it's safe enough to go back."

But with such a close call like that, Brian wasn't so sure. He picks up his notebook. **Too hot. Can't trust that Alex didn't follow. I'm gonna give it a few days, then head back.**

"I guess that means you're staying here?"

**In the empty part of the house.**

"I....I guess if you want to, but there's no furniture in. Amy's family took all her things. I have a couch you could crash on."

**I won't. Don't want to be spotted by any guests.**

Jessica plays with her hands, "I don't....Get a lot of guests around here."

Brian blinks. **Family? Friends?**

Her shoulders slouch, just slightly, eyes cast over his shoulder, "No. My parents live a couple hours away. They wouldn't come over without calling, and....I don't really socialize that much."

**Work?**

"I'm a tax preparer for an online company. It's not the most social job. Not a lot of interaction that isn't through e - mail."

That explained why she seemed very cool about staying in that hut. It's send a normal person with a retail job into a panic. **School?**

"I finished a couple years back."

**Did you major in anything?**

She casts her eyes down, eyebrows furrowing, "What does that have to do with anything?"

He pauses. He wasn't sure. **Just curious** , He guesses.

She shrugs, "Well, there's not much to it. I'm a shut - in who works from home," She rubs at her arms, "Amy used to insist I go out with her once or twice a week, but since she disappeared, I...."

Brian looks her up and down. She sounded lonely. He almost felt bad for her.

Surprising himself, he reaches out, and rubs her shoulder in a gentle, could - be - construed - as - comforting, way, then pulls it back before Jessica can lift her head. He grabs the first aid supplies and his notebook, and heads back inside. He places the kit down, grabbing a broom and dustpan, and some paper towels. He goes upstairs, cleaning up the mess he left behind in Jessica's office. The mug was actually in OK shape, only the handle breaking off. He sops up spilled coffee, throwing it out in a little wastebasket lined with a plastic bag. In his hurry to get outside, he also accidentally knocked over the stack of books. They were outside the splash zone of the mug, thankfully, so he stacks them up again. Underneath the fallen pile, there's a bunched up bit of fabric. He grabs it, unfolding it.

Revealing the red eyes and frown of his mask.

Brian freezes, still as stone. She saw his face. _She saw my face._

Well, Jessica certainly was very good at hiding it. She didn't even make eye contact the whole time, and he, foolishly, had chalked it up to her nervousness about Masky showing up. He felt so stupid - How could he not realize he didn't have his mask on? In his own defense, he did panic, and it was the last thing he was thinking about.

And he thinks - _Well, now what?_ Jessica has heard his voice, and now she's seen his face. It seemed redundant to keep the act up anymore

An _act_. He swears at himself. This wasn't an _act_. This was his _life_ , his _new_ life, following and intimidating and wearing masks and surviving, all on his own.

 _Don't panic_ , He takes a deep breath, _Don't panic. Just play it cool._ If he acts like nothing has changed, nothing will change. He pulls his mask on, taking the broken cup and the broom downstairs. Jessica is staring out of the front - facing windows, lace curtain peaked. Brian leans the broom against the closet door under the stairs, the soft tap of the handle meeting the wall causing her to turn. He holds up the broken mug, shrugging.

She takes it, eyes blinking from his now - covered face to his hands, "Nothing some glue can't fix," She mutters, walking to the kitchen. He follows, a few feet behind, hands in his pockets as she searches the kitchen for glue. He glances at the oven clock. It was teetering on eight'o'clock, blinking red.

Jessica finds some glue, pulls up a chair, and fixes the handle back onto the cup. She glances up only once or twice, "Are you hungry?" She asks.

He shakes his head, despite the pangs in his gut. He only had a few sips of his coffee before he was forced to drop it. It was fine, though. Brian was sure Jessica wouldn't mind if he raided her fridge while she slept. And, although he was hungry, he was exhausted above all else. He had sleeping while starving perfected to a T.

Without anymore acknowledgment, he trudges into Jessica's living room. There was a TV, a worn out dark purple couch with some cushions and a knitted blanket laid neatly over the back. The walls are decorated in paintings, the kind cheaply produced by furniture stores, and with photos of people Brian doesn't recognize, besides Amy. He hones in on one. It's of Jessica and Amy, heads leaned to one another, smiling for a camera. It looked like they were in a bar, or perhaps a restaurant. The photo is centered within the other pictures, and the only one in a oval - shaped frame, drawing attention to it in a sea of rectangular frames.

It seemed like Amy's family wasn't the only one who lost her. Jessica lost her, too.

He takes off his shoes. Although he no longer is civilized, Brian remembers that civilized people take their shoes off before laying down on furniture, especially when they're guests. He throws them by the front door, and collapses into the couch. It was soft, well - loved. He falls asleep faster than he ever has in his life so far.

His dreams are empty. Some hours later, he snaps awake, sitting up. He moves a hand, feeling a covering over him. He looks down at his lap, seeing that a blanket, dark and worn out, but soft and clean, was laid on him. Jessica probably brought it out while he slept. He flips off the blanket, standing. It was still dark outside. He checks the cable box on top of the TV, 3:47 blinking in green letters at him.

Feeling like his guts were about to turn him inside out, Brian decides now would be the perfect time to raid Jessica's fridge. He walks into the kitchen, everything cast in blue late night light. He opens the fridge door.

Inside is a mix of different foods, vegetables, takeout containers, and drinks, but what catches Brian's attention is a plate covered in tinfoil. A sticky note attached reads EAT ME. He opens it up. Inside was plenty of cooked chicken, and some vegetables. It had to have been years since he had real meat or real vegetables. He devours it cold, standing in front of the kitchen counter, fridge still open. He reaches inside, grabbing a water bottle, then shuts it with his foot. He throws the empty paper plate in the trash, downing the water bottle. He crumples the bottle up, tossing it in the garbage, despite there being a bright blue bin for recyclables next to it.

Now full and hydrated, Brian decides to see if Jay posted any update videos. He doubts it, but anything could've happened between when he checked last, and when he woke up. He goes upstairs, hand on the doorknob to Jessica's office, about to open it, when he looks down, and sees light coming from underneath the door. He pauses. Was she in there? Did he forget to to turn the light off? Either way, he was curious, and carefully opened it a crack, only being able to see in with one eye.

Jessica was hunched over in the office chair, the desktop screen on, dousing her in bright white light. Brian opens the door more, stepping inside, and closing it shut softly, walking to the desk. Jessica had her arms tucked under her head, laying soundlessly asleep at her desk. He looks around, seeing an old, knitted blanket folded at the sitting area near the window. He takes it, unfolding it, and putting it over her shoulders. She did not move, or make a sound.

That can't be good for her back, Brian thinks. He leans in, nosily staring at the computer screen. It was filled with what he thinks are time sheets, numbers he can't make sense of. Work, probably. Unaware of himself, he puts a hand on Jessica's upper back. She stirs. He immediately pulls back, backing off a few steps. _Idiot_ , he says to himself. Jessica sits up, shuffling. She looks over her shoulder, physically jumping when she sees Brian. She then puts a hand on her chest, sighing.

"Jesus - You gave me a heart attack," She says, still sleepy. She then turns to her computer, "What time is it?" She goes quiet, then sighs, "Shit," She stands up, the blanket still curled around her shoulders. She looks at Brian, giving him a long blink, "What?"

He shrugs. He didn't want anything from her other than a few minutes on her computer.

She pulls the blanket closer around her. She looks him up and down, then leaves. He waits until he hears her bedroom door open, then close. He pulls out her chair, minimizing the window with her work, then opening up a browser. He checks Jay's Twitter, his Youtube channel. Nothing new. Jay was laying low again. Good. That would keep Alex off Jessica's trail. He'd check again later to see if anything new popped up.

Good plan so far. Lay low, head back to his usual stomping grounds, wash his hands of the situation. Easy.

Being well - rested, Brian heads back downstairs. It was almost four - thirty. Early enough to start his day. He turns on the coffee maker, raiding cabinets to find coffee grinds. As it brews, he looks at the table. Jessica left the cup Brian had broke yesterday on the table. He picks it up by the handle, dangling it. Seemed strong enough. He waits for the coffee to brew, then makes himself a proper cup, no sugar or milk, all brew. He sits at the kitchen table, mask balled up and in his pocket, staring at the lightening sky. He never realized just how quiet mornings were when you were inside, tucked away from the elements. It was pleasant, if unfamiliar.

Four thirty lazily climbs into five, six, seven. Jessica would be awake at any moment. Brian decides to make a second pot for her. In a gesture of good faith.

And on cue, he hears sleepy steps trudge down the stairs. He quickly tugs his mask back on, reaching into the fridge and taking the milk out. Jessica stops in the doorway of the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

She did _not_ look good. Her eyes were sunken, frowning and looking miserable. He slides away from the coffee pot, Jessica taking up his space. He grabs his notebook from the kitchen table. Good morning, **He writes,** standing next to her. She barely glances at him. He pulls his notebook back, writing **How did you sleep?**

"Fine," She says grumpily. It did not sound like she slept fine. She makes her coffee with a little bit of milk, and a little bit of sugar, turning from him without another word, leaving to head back upstairs.

Brian stands in the middle of the kitchen. He definitely wasn't used to being ignored.

 _Stop being a baby_ , Brian tells himself, _Who cares if she ignores you?_

Ten seconds later, evidently, Brian cares. He opens the fridge, finding a carton of eggs that were barely touched and, lucky him, a still - good red bell pepper. He raids the cabinets for salt and pepper. He cracks open the eggs into a bowl, adding salt and pepper to it. He mixes it all together, cutting up the red bell pepper into small cubes, then slathers some butter into a shallow frying pan. He lets the butter melt, then adds the eggs, and dashes in the red bell pepper. He cooks it to perfection, transferring it to a plate. He grabs a fork, and the half - empty bottle of ketchup from the fridge door. Carefully, Brian goes upstairs. He peers his head into Jessica's office.

She was at her computer desk, typing away at her work, every so - often sipping her coffee. Brian lightly raps on the door with his knuckles. Jessica quickly glances over her shoulder, turning back, then turns around completely. Her grumpy expression softens, eyebrows relaxing, her frown weakening.

She looks him up and down, "What?"

In one smooth set of motions, Brian walks into her office, sets the plate down, and leaves, shutting the door behind him.


End file.
